Radiator and the like



y 3 9 9. w; J. GAMBLE 1,721,621

RADIATOR AND THE LIKE File d March 24, 1926 Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,721,621 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM JOHN GAMBLE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T CARRIER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC., 01 NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

RADIATOR AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 24, 1926. Serial No. 96,987.

This invent-ion relates to tubular radiators or heaters'of that kind which have spaced radiating tubes connected to a header or headers and adapted for the flow of steam or other medium through the tubes, and which are used to effect an interchange of heat bet-ween the medium flowing through the tubes and the air or medium circulating between the tubes, as for example, for heating the air or external medium, or for cooling the medium circulating through the tubes. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in radiators or heaters in which the radiating tubes and the tube plates or parts of the header or headers to which the tubes are connected are made relatively thin and flexible, and of brass or other metal of high conductivity so as to produce a radiator of light weight having the maximum conductivity and radiation, and in which the thin tube plates or parts of the headers to which the radiating tubes are joined are adapted to readily flex or give with the changes in length of the radiating tubes, due to the alternate expansion and contraction thereof so as to prevent distortion of the tubes or other parts of the radiator and avoid the opening or weakening of the joints between the parts of the radiator.

The radiators or heaters of this invention are employed extensively in automatically controlled heating and ventilating installations in which steam at relatively high pressures is used in the radiator for heating the air that serves to heat or ventilate the building, and in which the steam is turned on and off, or its supply to the radiator regulated for varying or controlling, as required, the temperature of the air in the system, and owing to the great radiation and rapid conductivity of the metal forming the tubes and connected tube plate or header, these parts are subject to relatively sudden and extreme changes of size or form due to the sudden changes in temperature thereof;

One of the objects of the invention is to join the radiating tubes to the flexible tube plates or parts of the headers and the two parts of each header to each other in a novel manner, sucl i that notwithstanding the thinness of the walls of the tubes and the tube plates, nevertheless very strong and reliable unions are effected between the several parts, which insure )erfect steam-tight joints which are prevents from becoming loosened or being injured by the extreme and rapid changes of size or form of the parts; also to provide a radiator header comprising a tube plate, shell or part to which the radiating tubes are joined, and acast metal or relatively rigid part to which the steam or fluid supply or return pipe is attached, and to secure together the component header parts so as to insure a perfect, strong and durable joint between the same, and so that the joint can be produced with the minimum of expense and labor; also to provide a radiator header composed of a metal tube plate or shell to which the radiating tubes are attached, and a separate rigid, metal part which are joined together in such manner that the joints between the tubes and the tube plate or shell can be readily made before said component parts of the header are joined together and nevertheless the parts of the header can be connected so as to insure a perfect, strong and durable joint between the parts which can be producedat a comparatively low cost; and alsoto improve the construction of tubular radiators or heaters in the other respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a radiator or heater embodying my invention. J

Fig. 2 is a transverse, broken sectional elevation thereof on an enlarged scale on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

'Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional elevation of the lower portion of the radiator.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections showing one construction of the joint between one of the radiating tubes and the tube plate, these figures showing respectively the parts before connection, the tube seated in the flanged hole of the tube plate, and the completed oint. I

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the flexible or sheet metal shell of the header.

Fig. 8 is a section on an enlarged scale, showing the cast joint between the flexible and rigid parts of the header.

Fig. 9 is a section showing a slightly different form of. joint between the radiating tubes and the tube plate.

The radiator illustrated in the drawings comprises inlet and outlet headers 10 and 11 connected by parallel, spaced radiating tubes 12 so that a fluid medium supplied to one of the headers, for example, asby a pipe 13 connected to the inlet header, can pass through the several radiating tubes to the other header and discharge through a discharge pipe 1 1 connected with the latter.

' strong, rigid or cast plate or part 16, and the radiating tubes, whichhave relatively thin walls are secured at their ends to the flexible plate or shell of the header, the tubes being preferably provided with the usual projecting radiating fins 17 formed by a thin metal ribbon wound helically around and soldered or otherwise suitably secured to each tube.

The joints connecting the radiating tubes to the flexible tube plate or part of the header are preferably constructed as most clearly shown in Figs. 4-6. The flexible tube plate or header part 15 is formed as by stampingv or drawing in, suitable dies to provide therein holes surrounded by integral, inwardly projecting lips or flanges 18 to receive the ends of the radiating tubes. The internal diameter of each of these flanges .18 is preferably slightly smaller than the external diameter of'that portion 19 of the tube which is to fit in the flange, said portion 19 being preferably made cylindrical and of an external diameter adapting it to enter the rounded or bevelled edge 20 at the outer end of the flange 18 so that by driving or pressing the tube into the flanged hole of the tube plate, the part 19 of v the tube is slightly compressed or the flange 18 slightly expanded, or both, and a very tight driven fit of the tube in the flanged hole results. The tube is also provided with an external, circumferential shoulder 1 which is adapted to engage or bear a ainst the rounded, outer end 20 of the flanged hole when the portion 19 of the tube has been fully pressed into place in the flanged hole, thereby limiting the inward movement of the tube into the hole and preventing inward movement of the tube in the tube plate in the completed joint. This external shoulder 21 on the tube can be made by forming an outwardly projecting, circumferential bead or corrugation in the;- all of the tube, as shown in Fig. 9, but pr erably the shoulder is formed by contracting or compressing the tube at its end portion so as to make the portion 19 of the tube of less diameter than the remainder of the tube, as clearly shown in Figs. 4-6 of the drawings. By thus compressing the end portion of the tube to make it of less than its original diameter, the metal in the reduced portion 19 is made denser or thicker, thereby strengthening it. Another beneficial effect of thus compressing or-contracting the end portions of the tubes to a smaller diameter is that while the tubes as produced commercially may vary somewhat in diameters, the end portions 19 of all of the tubes can be readily reduced to the same diameter by means of dies or other suitable mechanism, so that the portions 19 of all of the tubes will accurately fit in the flanged holes of the tube plate and insure uniformly perfect joints between the tubes and the tube plate. Also the tubes can be reduced at their ends in this way at less expense and with less danger of loss by rupturing or weakening the tubes than when the shoulders 21 are formed by external beads on the tubes as shown in Fig. 9. After the end of the tube has been pressed or driven into the flanged hole of the tube plate with the shoulder .21 of the tube against the outer edge 20 of the hole, the extremity of the tube is flanged outwardly or shaped by suitable means to provide an external shoulder or enlargement on the end of the tube which engages the inner end of the flange 18 of the tube plate so as to rigidly and permanently retain the tube in the flanged hole of the tube plate and prevent relative outward movement of the tube in the hole. The end of the tube can be simply expanded or flared outwardly to form a shoulder 22 engaging the inner end of the tube plate flange 18, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or if preferred, the end of the tube could be bent or rolled back over the end of the flange 18 so as to tightly embrace the latter, as shown at 23, Figs. 6 and 9. 'By the described construction, even though the tube plate is relatively thin, each tube has a driven fit and a relatively long bearing in the tube plate and, in addition, is secured against endwise movement in both directions by integral shoulders on the tube engaging the opposite ends of its bearing, that is the flange 18 of the tube plate. In pressing the tubes into the holes in the tube plate, the rounded, outer edges 20 of the flanged holes, which are quite rigid, act in the nature of dies on the shoulders 21 of the tubes and press the shoulders to the shape of the edges 20, thereby ensuring very close contact and fit of the shoulders against the edges 20.

After the tubes have been firmly secured in the flanged holes in the tube plate as thus de-. scribed, the joints between the tubes and the tube plate are 'welded, soldered or tinned so as to still further increase the strength of the joints and make them perfectly fluid-tight so as to preclude the possibility of leakage through the joints even when high pressure steam is used in the radiator.

Since manufacturing considerations make it practically essential that ready access be afforded to the ends of the tubes at the inner side of the tube plate or shell in making joints of the character describedbetween the tubes cast part of the header. This is accomplished as presently explained.

The flexible sheet metal tube plate, wall or shell of the header to which the tubes are joined, as above explained, is preferably made of substantially channel or U-shape in cross section, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 7 and after the tubes have been secured to the shell, as explained, the shell is joined at its peripheral edges to the rigid or cast metal plate or,

part 16 of the header. The joint or connection between the flexible and rigid parts of the header is a hermetic joint, preferably a fused or welded joint formed by placing the flexible shell so that its peripheral edge projects into the molding cavity of the mold in which the cast plate or part 16 is to be formed,

and then pouring the metal in the mold to form the cast metal plate or part 16 of the header. The shell 15 and mold are of such .form and so related that when the molten metal for the part 16 is poured in the mold, the edges of the shell will extend into the molten metal and will become fused or welded to the cast metal part 16 as the latter sets or freezes, thereby forming a cast, fused or welded joint 25 between the peripheral edges of the shell and'the cast metal part 16 of the header. Preferably, the peripheral edges 26 of the shell 15 are offset inwardly as shown in Fig. 7, so that the marginal portion 27 of the cast metal header plate 16 will extend out side as well as inside of the edges 26 and nevertheless permit the peripheral edges of the cast metal plate or part 16 to be ground or trimmed ofi flush with the outer surfaces of the side walls of the shell. Preferably, also the marginal portion 27 of the cast plate 16 is made thicker than the remainder of the plate to insure the necessary strength of the joint between the plate and shell without un duly increasing the weight and thickness of the cast plate as awhole. In this .way, while the external side surfaces of the cast metal plate and the flexible shell are flush with each other, and present a neat appearance, nevertheless the edges 26 of the shell have a firm anchorage in theca-st metal part, spaced well inwardly from the periphery of the casting, which insures a strong joint without, however, leaving unsightly, superfluous metal on the cast metal part surrounding the connected edges of the flexible shell.

In a header constructed as described, the wall or partconstituting the tube plate to are which the radiating'tubes are joined is flexible and can be formed from a relatively thin plate or sheet of suitable metal having the required flexibility and conductivity, such for instance as sheet brass, so that this plate or wall can readily flex or give with changes in dimensions of the tubes due to variations in their temperature. At the same time,

however, the other part 16 of the header which is formed or provided with the screw collar or other part 28 for the attachment of the steam supply or other pipe to the radiator, is sufficiently strong and rigid to withstand strains and shocks incident to the atta chment of the pipes to and their disconnection from the radiator, and the expansion and a contraction of the pipes. Distortion and injury to the frailer flexible parts of the radiator are thus prevented.

As a further safeguard against injury to the flexible parts of the radiator, a frame 30 of suitable construction is preferably provided within which the radiator is placed and secured, as by bolts 31 or other suitable fastenings connecting lugs 32 on the cast part 16 of the headers at diagonally opposite corners of the radiator to the adjacent corner portions of the frame 30.

I claim asmy invention:

1. In a heat exchange device, the combination of a headencomprising a thin flexible part and a rigid cast metal part, and radiating tubes communicating with said header and secured to said flexible part by joints having portions disposed within the header at the inner side of said flexible part, said flexible part being connected to said cast metal part by a joint comprising portions of said flexible part embedded in and hermetically joined toport-ions of said cast metal part.

2. In a heat exchange device, the combination of a header comprising a thin flexible part and a rigid cast metal part permanently connected together by a cast joint in which a portion of one of said parts is fused to said other part, and radiating tubes communicating with said header and being secured to said flexible part by joints having portions disposed within the header at the inner side of said flexible header part.

3. In a heat exchange device, the combination of a header comprising a thin flexible part and a rigid part, and radiating tubes having their ends seated in holes in said flexible part and permanently fastened thereto within the header at the inner side of the flexible part. said flexible part being connected to said rigid header part by a joint comvrisin east ortions of said ri id )art which l h a plate and a rigid part to which said tube plate is oined, and radiating tubes having portions vice comprising radiating tubes and inlet and outlet headers to which said tubes are joined at their opposite ends, each of said headers comprising a rigid metal partand a tube plate permanently and hermetically joined together by integral portions of one of said parts fused to the other part, said radiating tubes having their ends extending into holes in said tube plates and permanently joined to the tube plates at the inner sides thereof Within said headers, and a protecting frame surrounding said heat exchange device and to which said headers are secured to retain said heat exchange device in position in said protecting frame 1 6. The combination of a heat exchange'device, comprising opposite headers each composed of a rigid cast metal part and a flexible wall which is permanently connected to said cast metal part by portions of oneof said parts fused to the other part, and radiating tubes connecting said headers 'and attached at their ends to said flexible Walls of the headers, a protecting frame surrounding said radiator, and fastenings rigidly securing said cast parts of the headers to said protecting frame.

WILLIAM JOHN GAMBLE. 

